Author, Host, and King Headcanons
Author:
Goes by the alias Michael Smith professionally. He’s a best-selling author. If he didn’t have his ‘gift’, he would have done well anyway since he had a natural talent. When not writing, he lectures in a local university in the literature department.
Said narrating ‘gift’ was discovered as a teenager, when he wrote a murder that enfolded a day or two after he finished writing it. It took a lot of practice to get it to happen as he wrote.
A bundle of spite. Don’t really need to say more there.
He has a bit of a temper, but he usually keeps it in check. When he is acting as The Author, the baseball bat is usually a last resort. He tries to keep that distance between himself and his ‘muse’ these days.
Only the Egos know the double-life, but it’s allowed since it brings a good source of income. This is also why he’s ‘in charge’ of King.
In his canon, he doesn’t become the Host. Any writings about the Host would be an alternate timeline where it does happen.
The Host:
While calmer in personality compared to how he used to be, Host is still bitter. He won’t acknowledge either ‘Author’ or ‘Michael’ as names, insisting both are dead names.
His ability to narrate is used to help him navigate a location, though he can somewhat use it as he used to - making someone trip, for example, but not to fully control someone’s actions.
The podcast the Host created is an outlet for his creativity. It allows him to share the stories mulling in his brain and has proven popular as both something to fall asleep to and for artists to use as inspiration. If he didn’t have that, he would become rather frustrated.
Adding to this, he likes sharing his stories with those who want to listen. It’s often his solution to helping those who can’t sleep. This will be the only time he’ll willingly respond to his former aliases.
King of the Squirrels
The idea for King is heavily inspired by the concept of Peachette. King is a large squirrel who inherited the title of King of the Squirrels and the Forest; and was presented with an enchanted heirloom. This heirloom would grant him a second form to help deal with the major issue surrounding the forest at the time. The heirloom changed to a crown, and he turns human when wearing it.
It’s actually pretty easy to spot King as a squirrel. He’s almost twice as large as a normal squirrel, and carries a small satchel over his shoulder. The crown is stored safely in there, and is secure enough that it won’t fall out.
King has mastered the ability to switch flawlessly between human and squirrel. Whatever he was wearing in one form simply disappears, and will reappear next time he takes that particular form. Think of him like the hero of a children’s cartoon show and you’re on the right track.
Inquisitive by nature, but also fiercely protective. He has been known to put himself in front of others to protect them, no matter which form he’s in. Not only that, he has been known to ask his subjects to check on friends if he can’t leave the forest.
Because the Author’s writing retreat cabin is in King’s forest, he has become the ‘guardian’ of the monarch. He’s the reason King is any way adept at being human, but is also constantly bothered by the squirrel. Don’t be surprised if you see Michael walking through a forest and casually throwing a squirrel into a bush. It’s just King. He’s used to it.
Yes, King did try to have a peanut-butter beard. Yes, Author whipped him out of that habit. Yes, King still tries regardless.